[Creative Biz] 7 Roadblocks That Are Keeping You Stuck

"when you want more from your business than just an income"

In This Issue

What's Maxine Up To? - Phew! More auditions this past week than in the last month!

Feature Article - 7 Roadblocks That Are Keeping You Stuck - Part Two

Maxine Recommends!

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Greetings!

Me, in Absolut Vodka fashion show in custom made dress. (Yes, they made that dress FOR me!) :) And how about that futuristic hair do!

A quick hello this week as multiple deadlines are on the plate!

Here's the link to Part One of this week's article if you missed it: Click HERE to read Part One of "7 Roadblocks That Are Keeping You Stuck."

I'm thrilled at the response to last week's article on this topic and I appreciate those of you who wrote to me with your own "sticking points." It really is fascinating to examine all the different ways we have of preventing ourselves and our businesses from moving forward, isn't it?

I encourage everyone to write and let me know your thoughts and suggestions on my newsletters. You can email me simply by clicking "reply" to this newsletter. I always love to read about your ideas, feedback, challenges and successes.

This week's issue is Part Two of "7 Roadblocks That Are Keeping You Stuck."

If you find these are part of your agenda, I encourage you to take steps to get unstuck now! Your amazing future awaits you.

Wishing you blessings and success,

Maxine
P.S. A little about me: Although I'm a voice-over artist and on-camera spokesperson by trade, during my 25-plus years in the business I've also become a very savvy solopreneur. I know what it takes to start and grow a business, maintain an imaginative and creative mind-set, create lasting client relationships and, most importantly, thoroughly enjoy the whole process.

If you'd like to learn about how I got started in voice-over and read my extended bio, please visit the "Meet Maxine" page on my website by clicking HERE.

Feature Article

7 Roadblocks That Are Keeping You Stuck - Part 2

by Maxine Dunn

If you missed Part One of this article last week, Roadblocks 1, 2, and 3, you can read it HERE.

And following are the four remaining roadblocks...

Operating from where you are, instead of where you want to be:

One of the roadblocks you can encounter as an entrepreneur is the stubborn desire to want to stay the same as you've always been. That is, making decisions based on where you've been and where you are now, instead of making decisions based on who you'd like to become.

If you're aspiring to be a six-figure-a-year entrepreneur, and you're currently earning $30K, then you best start thinking like a six-figure business owner. This means having a bigger vision of what's possible. Taking calculated business risks. Making certain you surround yourself with motivated, supportive, positive people. Increasing your skills. Writing that book. Getting a two-bedroom apartment instead of a one-bedroom, so you have room for that home office. Investing in Mastermind coaching so you have an increased level of accountability.

Up-leveling your business also includes delegating: administrative and business tasks to a virtual assistant, bookkeeping to an accountant, web design and maintenance to a web designer. If your business involves creating high-value products or services, then it makes the most sense for you to be spending the majority of your time creating those products and services, not filing business cards, entering names and addresses into your database, or struggling to figure out do-it-yourself website templates.

As you go about your business day, ask yourself, "What would a six-figure business owner do?" "How would a million-dollar business owner decide this issue?"

Shake off the past and set your sights firmly on your successful future. The person that got you to where you are now (the old you) is not the same person you'll need to be to take your business to the next level. Start behaving like the person you want to become.

Not doing complete work:

Do you do "complete work?" That is, do you finish what you start? It's very common for creative types to have many different projects going at the same time and many of them remain unfinished.

Trying to implement lots of ideas simultaneously can be stimulating and energizing as you excitedly fly from one bright shiny object to the next. But if this is your tendency, what can eventually happen is that you have so many incomplete projects in the works, you're not actually finishing anything.

And in order for your business to grow and thrive, you need to bring each project and task to completion in order to move on to the next. Having too many unfinished projects will leave you stalled and stuck.

So instead of embarking upon yet another new idea, going to yet another seminar, or signing up for yet another teleclass, look at what's on your plate already that you haven't finished. Is your Twitter profile half done? Are you endlessly "tweaking" your voice-over demo and not getting it finished? Do you have piles of receipts that you haven't organized and filed? Has the manuscript for your book been half finished for two years?

Look at areas of your work life that contain "unfinished business" and get busy completing those tasks and tying up loose ends.

Have your mantra be: "I do complete work," and then stick to it. Seeing projects and tasks through to their completion will free up your creative energy to start on new ones with a clear head.

Not defining your target market or niche:

Are you trying to appeal to "everyone" in your business and using scattershot marketing techniques? That is, going after a huge, undefined market? If so, you'll not only run yourself ragged and overspend your marketing dollars, you'll eventually come to a standstill. Why? Because you simply cannot appeal to everyone, all the time.

A much more effective way to move your business forward and create a successful following is to become crystal clear on exactly what you do and who your target market is.

When you drill down to a very specific segment of the population that you can help, your advertising content, your marketing, your branding, and your contact management will become so much easier. A specific group of people is always easier to find and connect with than a huge, broad group of people.

As an example, if I were to try and actively market my voice-over services to video game, telephony, corporate video, television commercial, audio book, radio imaging, and medical narration clients, I'd probably be completely overwhelmed. It would also be challenging to create effective marketing for each separate niche of voice-over. However if I decided to target corporate video clients, I could create voice-over demos for those specific clients and spend the bulk of my marketing time and dollars finding and appealing to them.

Getting very clear on who your target market is and defining the niche you're appealing to will put more focused power behind your business and marketing efforts and give you momentum. Niche marketing trumps scattershot marketing. Every time.

Underestimating your skills and resources:

One of the biggest sticking points in moving your business forward will be your belief in yourself. Or rather your lack of belief in yourself. You may be thinking to yourself, even unconsciously, "I don't know what to do!" "How can I possibly take on this kind of responsibility?" Or, "How on earth can I find out how to do that?"

Well right here, right now, I want you to take some time this afternoon or evening to write down all the significant accomplishments you've had in your life. Yes, sit down and write. I want you to smack down this debilitating, limiting belief and get your power back. And remember, underestimating your own power is just another procrastination tactic.

You have skills and resources that you may not know you have - simply because you haven't taken the time to acknowledge them! So think about the things you HAVE made happen in your life.

You got through school. You graduated from college. You learned how to ski. You had kids. You had the wherewithal to start your own business. Really take some time to get down on paper all the things you've accomplished and that you're proud of. If you spend at least half an hour on this exercise, you will be astonished to see what incredible things you've done over the course of your life!

Then make a list of the helpful people in your life, those you could ask for assistance if you need it. Friends, family, your bank, your college counselor, your mastermind group, online help forums, business associates, or the incredible library of books and manuals written on the exact topic in question.

It's time to build yourself up from the inside to get past this last sticking point. You have far more resources and skills than you could possibly imagine. Take the time to get clear on who and what they are and develop determination to move forward.

Yes, you DO have what it takes to get unstuck, move forward in your business, and SUCCEED!

* * * * *

Maxine Recommends

Are you a voice actor? A speaker? A coach? A teacher? Someone who aspires to speak?

Then Susan Berkley's book, "Speak to Influence" is a MUST HAVE.

Even if you'd just like to improve your speaking voice overall, I highly recommend her book.

I was re-reading the book again last week and just had to share it with you!

Susan is a top voice-over artist and master voice-over coach, and her book, "Speak to Influence" will help you achieve greater confidence and credibility by improving the sound of your voice. I've referred to it again and again and have found it an incredible resource of useful information. Especially the voice actors reading here - it's a book you should DEFINITELY have in your library.

You can read more about Susan Berkley's book and view the table of contents of "Speak to Influence," HERE.

About Maxine

Maxine Dunn is a top voice-over artist and on-camera spokesperson who

has been seen and heard in hundreds of commercials, documentaries, corporate narrations, voice-mail systems and websites. She is a British native and her ability to also deliver a perfect American accent gives her business a tremendously wide range. She enjoys working with Fortune 100 companies, award-winning creative teams, and maintains an extensive clientele, locally, nationally, and internationally.

Check out Maxine's website and listen to her voice-over demos at www.maxinedunn.com

While Maxine is best known for her voice-over and spokesperson expertise, she is also an avid writer who enjoys bringing stimulating and motivating material to her readers.

If you like today's issue of The Creative Business Advisor, click HERE to sign up for your own subscription.

A subscription to Maxine's e-zine also includes her outstanding free audio mini-course, "7 Surprisingly Simple Strategies to Get You on the Road to Success, Right Now!" A 7-day series of mini (3-5 minute) audio lessons narrated by Maxine, showcasing her personal step-by-step strategies for business success.

The greatest compliment you could give me if you like my e-zine is to pass on this issue to your friends and associates! Just keep the entire issue intact and unaltered please. Better yet use the link at the very bottom of the newsletter to send it on. Thanks! Maxine

ISSN # 2150-8453

February 22, 2011
Volume 2, Issue #8

Published every Tuesday.

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